Graduation, a new beginning
by M. Tendo
Summary: 2 years after ranma and akane got engaged, it is time for them to graduate from school. what will happen? will it take their relationship to a new level? guess you will have to read the story to find out. Suggestions and comments are always accepted.


It has been 2 years now after Ranma and Akane got engaged to each other by their fathers and it is their last year at school. Graduation is coming.

All the students were impatient and excited about it. Even Ryoga who has enrolled in Furinkan high after he decided to settle at his house, renouncing on his trips and travelling, and shampoo who has been taking language lessons for the past years and has been accepted in the school as an exchange student from china.

The bell rang and all the students were heading to class.

"Okay class, this is the year you have all been waiting for, in 2 weeks from now you will be graduating high school and on your way to college." Declared Miss Hinako. "We will be needing volunteers to help arrange and decorate the school stadium. Don't worry about your prom, it has already been taken care of. Anyone?"

Akane without any hesitation, who was thrilled about the idea and was full of enthusiasm, said:

"Ranma and I will be glad to help." without even asking him.

"Hey don't I get a vote in this akane?" He argued.

"Come on Ranma, we'll have fun and besides, it is the least we can do, I mean it is our graduation after all." She responded.

"Thanks but I'll pass." He said with a careless tune on his voice.

"I'll help teach !" yelled Ryoga from the back of the class for it is his chance to be with akane since Ranma doesn't want to.

"Count me in !" Fired Ranma unconsciously. He doesn't even want Ryoga near akane in his pig form, then what about in his human form.

Upon hearing this, Shampoo and Ukyo volunteered to help but only to keep an eye on them and make sure that they stay away from each other and nothing happens between them. It went more like this: Shampoo and Ukyo didn't leave Ranma for a second alone, they battled on who is going to help him with any task he had. Poor guy was trying to avoid them both. On the other hand, Ryoga was keeping akane company and was trying to get close to her. Poor girl was also trying to ditch him.

"I know he is the nicest guy I know but still I rather be with Ranma now. Ryoga is a good friend to me and I know that he has feelings for me, but I don't feel the same way back." She thought.

"That is good for today all, we cleaned half of the place. Tomorrow, we will continue and put up the stadium, speakers and podiums. Thank you." announced Miss hinako as she was in charge of preparations.

On the way home, akane and Ranma started chatting.

"For god's sake, I don't think I'll make it out helping you. Shampoo and Ukyo won't leave me alone for a second. They are like leeches, they hold on to a person until they get want they want." protested the frustrated boy.

"Don't tell me about it, I was watching them the whole time. I also had my fair share of annoyance, Ryoga was trying to get close to me. I know he is a nice guy but I just don't feel the same." She said.

"Exactly, it would kill them to know that we don't consider them more than just friend, especially ukyo who is like a sister to me since we have been friends for 10 years." He explained.

"We are home." declared the young couple as they enter. Kasumi as usual was setting the table for dinner for they must be hungry after school.

After dinner, akane asked to help kasumi with the dishes who didn't any but akane insisted. In the kitchen, alone with her older sister, akane asked her embarrassed :

"Kasumi, what was graduation day like for you?"

"Ah akane, you brought back some of the most beautiful memories I have in my life. I'll just tell you one thing, it is going to be a long lasting memory. I don't want to tell you more, you have to experience that yourself." Said kasumi as she remembers herself at her graduation day and prom wearing a long silver dress.

Akane smiled, thrilled of what her sister said and then went up her room to study. She couldn't even concentrate, her mind was too busy thinking of something else. She stood in front of her mirror, imagining herself in a prom dress who made her look like a princess.

"Maybe Ranma is right, maybe I am a tomboy." She sighed with disappointment. The girl was given the role of Romeo in the play of Romeo and Juliet when she was young, she also has the reputation of being the strongest of girls at school who could beat up the whole wrestling team. "This is my time to shine, I am going to prove to everyone that I am a girl and let them forget that I am a tomboy." She promised herself.

Back at the cat cafe, Shampoo has already started to think of a way to convince Ranma into being her prom date. Ukyo was doing the same thing, she wrote "will you be my prom date Ran-Chan?" On an okonomiyaki with her special sauce and decided to deliver it to Ranma tomorrow at school. Concerning akane, Ryoga was going to ask her tomorrow also at lunch break so he started thinking about what to say and rehearsed knowing that he gets very shy and frustrated around akane.

The next day, at lunch break, Ranma reached into his bag to grab lunch only to realize that he had forgotten it. That was what he thinks, the truth is that ukyo took it from his school bag this morning when she ran into him on purpose without him noticing a thing. She looked at him when she heard his stomach growl and saw that it was the perfect time to give him "lunch".

"Ranma honey, I see that you forgot your lunch today, here." She politely offered.

"Ah thanks Uchan, you are a life savor!" Triumphed the hungry boy.

He was about to open the box containing the okonomiyaki letter when Shampoo broke through the wall and destroyed ukyo's lunch ,who made it specially for Ranma, with the shattered bricks.

"Hey shampoo, you realize that the classroom has a door right ?" Pointed out Ranma as his food turned into trash.

"Doors are too slow, breaking through walls is much easier." She said with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Here Ranma, you will have some of the ramen I made especially for you dear."

"Alright ! I am so hungry, thanks shampoo" Ranma said but what he didn't know is that she used some sort of magic spices in the ramen that make anyone who eats it, respond only to the cook of this dish.

Ukyo, filled with rage, picked up her giant spatula and demolished shampoo's cooking.

"That's for not using the door and DESTROYING MY OKONOMIYAKI." She yelled.

She was going for another hit but shampoo dodged it and then it turned into a fight over Ranma who as usual had no idea what has gone into them.

He ditched the two girls fighting and ran off to buy something from the cafeteria.

"darn it ! I forgot my wallet he said." cried the starving boy as he saw a sac of meat bread and salad bread thrown at him.

"Here you go stupid, I heard about this stupid fight between shampoo and ukyo." Akane said as she walks up to Ranma.

"I forgot my lunch so ukyo offered me an okonomiyaki made especially for me when shampoo ran through the classroom wall and destroyed it, then she offered me a bowl of special ramen. I mean what gives ! I just wanted to eat." He admitted.

"That's what you think. Remember this morning when ukyo ran into you and you fell?" She asked.

"Yes!" He confirmed.

"Well, while you were on the floor, she took your lunch out of your bag so that she could give you that okonomiyaki which she wrote on :"will you be my prom date?". Not to mention shampoo who was about to do a worse thing, in the ramen she used spices that could have made you do anything she wants." Explained akane.

"Prom date? Why these two... Can't they ask like normal girls?!" He protested. "Well I think I have to turn them down." as He swinged his hair of his face showing an ego that surpassed kuno's.

"Why? Aren't those girls good enough for you. Or better yet, why not take both of them Casanova!" Said akane furious that Ranma thinks he is the only boy at school with good looks yet deep down she desires that he asks her to be her prom date.

"Ha ha akane, don't you have something better to do than to joke about me ? Anyway, no, I haven't really thought about it yet." He lied to her, he really have thought of it and he decided to ask her but was waiting for them to be alone.

"By the way, hasn't anyone asked you yet?"

"Well Ryoga did, but he is only a friend and I can't see myself with him on that special day." She confessed blushing that she hinted out to Ranma that she wanted to go with a special boy and as usual Ranma has no idea about a dam thing.

It was time for them to go and help with the decorations. They ran to the stadium but to realize they are the only ones who showed up.

"Where is everybody?" Asked surprisingly.

"Well, shampoo has some deliveries, ukyo has too many orders and the rest is at the basket ball court watching our school finals. ah! and Ryoga I have no idea where he is." Answered Miss hinako. "Good thing you showed up, I knew I could count on you two."  
"Ryoga is probably lost as always." he joked.

Ranma and akane started to work then miss hinako had to leave when she had an urgent call from principal Kuno. Both of them went red when they were left alone. They tried to continue working solitary but all the tasks required the help of another. Ranma was reaching for the flower basket which he had to set up but only to touch Akane's hands who was doing the same thing. The couple's cheeks went pink upon that touch, not to mention the eye contact which went on for while, at this moment Ranma decided it was the perfect time to ask her.

"Akane, would you be my prom date ?" Asked nervously expecting a rejection based on what she said to him earlier. Akane started to tremble and feel butterflies in her stomach. She smiled at this and though "I can't believe it! He wants me to be his! I must be dreaming." Then she returned to reality, she was silent for a minute and answered : "yes Ranma, I'll be your prom date."

A couple of hours later, they finished all the work appointed to them and went home. After dinner, Akane went up to her room, she locked her room door and started to try on some of her old dresses to see how she will look like at prom.

"Should I go for a long dress or a short one?" She asked herself in the mirror. She then threw herself on her bed and started to rave about that night: Ranma wearing a tux which made him look sharp, well fitted with all the muscles he has that were about to rip suit apart, exactly the sort of suit that a woman would pick out for her man. As for her; She was a symbol of elegance. The lustrous, pearl-beaded fabric of her dress glinted, light reflecting from the ballrooms glow. It fit flawlessly, the dress molded her torso beautifully, complimenting her feminine shape. The gown draped past her toes, slightly drifting from her legs. It was a golden dress, strapless style revealed her precious collarbones wrapped in smooth, luring, skin. Her posture was perfect, her shoulders were pulled back and her hands were held together in front of her. As she raved, she couldn't help falling asleep with her school uniform still on.

Next morning, akane woke up to realize that she had fallen asleep last night but it didn't matter for she immediately changed her clothes, barely had breakfast and took off to the mall. She was like a lightning bolt jumping from one shop to another trying on as many dresses she could find until suddenly a mannequin caught her eye. She starred at the showcase for long time for the mannequin was wearing the exact dress she had in mind for herself. And without any hesitation, she ran into the store and bought it, not caring about its high price.

"This is a special occasion and I don't graduate everyday so it is worth it." She convinced herself.

Satisfied with the hours spent in the mall searching, she went to reward herself with some ice cream but only to find Ranma sitting at a table alone barely touching his cup.

"Are you going to eat that? If not, let me have it." She joked as she sneaked up from behind him.

"Here, you can have it" sighed Ranma who was a little down.

"Why the long face? Did anything happen?" She asked caring.

"It is just that our prom is do next week and I really don't have a suit to wear, I just can't seem to find one." He admitted.

"How about we search together? Besides, you need a girl's opinion on this." She suggested thrilled about the idea that she might pick him a suit after all like her fantasy.

"Great idea akane! Finish your ice cream and let us go." He agreed.

They sore through the stores like birds in the sky, quickly and freely, trying to find him a suit that matched the one akane had imagined until they finally did. Akane was rejoiced deep in her heart.

A week has passed and the long awaited day has finally come. All the graduating students were to be at school before their families due to get ready for the ceremony.

The stadium now is full, everybody took their seats. They were impatiently waiting for Akane's speech for she was chosen by the school teachers to prepare a speech for her fellow graduates knowing that she has a strong personality and could face a wide crowd.

"My fellow students, we only arrived here four short years ago, and now it's already time to leave. How did it all go so fast? It seems like only yesterday that we were skinny little freshmen fighting with the locks on our lockers, trying to figure out where our next class was, and looking generally clueless to all the upper classmen. Now we are the upperclassmen, the seniors who stand here ready to graduate and move forward in the world. Yet at this seminal moment, we can't help looking back.

How do we measure the time we've spent in high school? In the beginning, we measured it in class periods, counting down the day to eventual freedom. As the days and weeks passed, we measured it in semesters, and later in years as we moved from being those clueless freshmen, to becoming sophisticated sophomores who thought they had it all figured out. By the time we reached our junior year, we were confident that we were prepared to take over for the graduating seniors, and we couldn't wait to "rule the school."

And now here we stand. Our rule is over, and it's up to the next class to step into our shoes and take over. I know that as I look out at all of you, I will measure my time here in a much different way. I will measure it in all the friendships I've enjoyed these last years. Some were pretty casual and others were much closer, but I'll remember each one fondly, as I'm sure you all will, too. And when many of our high school memories begin to fade, that's how we'll ultimately measure the time we spent here, not in periods or semesters or years, but in the friendships that we made and the times we shared together.

Congratulations fellow graduates of Furinkan high, wherever we go and whatever we do, may we always be friends when we meet again." And all the guests stood in respect of her inspiring words, wildly applausing when principal Kuno went up the stage and announced:

"Honored guests and families, I give you the graduating class of Furinkan high."

And all the graduates rose up and threw their hats to the skies, cheering and dancing they have finally finished school. Ranma was cheering with his friends; when he saw akane, he ran up to her who unconsciously jumped into his arms that lifted her off her feet with rejoice.

"Congratulations akane!" Said Ranma.

"You too Ranma, congrats!" replied akane who was fully excited about heading to prom now. The school had rented a plain garden with a pool which was fully equipped with tables and a dance floor, they managed to serve a buffet only the wealthiest of people could afford thanks to principal Kuno who was more than delighted to pay all the bills as a graduation gift for his students. Turned out he wasn't so bad after all. They served Japanese and Chinese food along with French cuisine and Italian pastas, not to mention the Hawaiian desserts with the cake. It was a beautiful night underneath a feast of starlight followed by a romantic moonlight. The boys were to arrive at the garden before their dates. The girls were to wait for their boys who would come up the stairs to the garden to join them as they walk down together for the big photo for each couple. One after the other, the couples went down until akane showed up wearing the beautiful dress she dreamt of and caught the eye of all the guys at the party. The girls got jealous cause their dates were distracted by another girl. Everyone was talking about her. Ranma was shocked from how pretty she looked, he was about to drewl if he had lost control over his body then he snapped out of it and went up to get her as she was his prom date. Now all the boy were jealous of him. Ukyo had settled eventually for Ryoga who didn't have a date either and shampoo brought mousse who was over happy when she asked him. Everybody now was having fun, eating, chatting and dancing.

It was time to announce the prom king and queen as the votes are in with Nabiki who was elected by the student body to host this tradition.

All the graduates were silent as she opens the envelope that had the names of the king and queen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your prom queen for this year is ... Akane tendo."

It was nothing unexpected for she did grab the attention of all the people in the place and she rushed up the dancing alley to be crowned awaiting her king to be announced.

"As for your king my fellow graduates is..." And was interrupted when Tatewaki Kuno turned up from no wear behind Nabiki and yelled:

"I will gladly accept my crown now for thy don't like to keep thy queen waiting her king for long." And was reaching for the crown when he got kicked by akane, taking him on a one way trip to the stars yelling : "get lost Kuno."

"And now, your prom king is ... Ranma Saotome." Nabiki declared.

Now that was unexpected, but the graduates have voted for him for he and akane are one of the best couples at school despite the fights they have. Shocked by this, he froze in place, so his friends dragged him up the stage to be crowned.

"Finally, the king and queen must now dance in front of all the guests." Said Nabiki which she added to the custom for her own amusement.

"But, I don't know how to dance." Ranma whispered.

"Don't worry Ranma, just follow my lead." She took his hand, one in hers and one on her waist and started to dance to a romantic song that Nabiki had requested from the dj.

"I am speechless right now." He said embarrassed.

"Why so Ranma?" Akane replied.

"It is just, all these years with you at school, the everyday fighting, and all the memories we have together and now here we are dancing made me realize how close we are." He admitted to his queen.

"You really believe that Ranma?" Asked innocently her king.

"Yes, wow you look pretty tonight, I just can't take my eyes off of you." Ranma said as he looked down too shy when akane raised his head up and kissed him in front of the crowd who immediately started to cheer for the young couple.

"But..." As he tried to talk but she interrupted with another kiss and confessed:

"Who cares? Let them know we are together from now on."

At last, they finally became a couple on this magical night which no one had planned for to end up like this, together.


End file.
